3 Practical Ways To Improve The Mental Health of Your Stepfamily In The New Year

Hey Stepfamily! Don’t become another statistic. Fight the odds and begin flourishing today.

By Guest Contributor Rachel Dunne, of spiritualstepmom.com

If you’re reading this blog right now, then congratulations, that means you survived another year of blended family holidays!!!

It’s actually pretty hard to believe that the holidays went so fast, and that we are already weeks into 2024. I don’t know about y’all, but my news feed on social media has been flooded with talk of New Year’s resolutions, most of which involve gym memberships, detox, and diets.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with working on our fitness and nutrition, but how much better could 2024 be if we put as much focus on our mental health as we do our physical health? The truth is, you can’t really have one without the other!

Did you know research shows that stepfamilies have significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression, and poorer well-being than nuclear families?

If you are in a stepfamily, then this won’t surprise you at all (and will hopefully validate your experience).

But, regardless of how you feel about this frightening statistic, it is our reality and something we must face head on if we don’t want to become the statistic.

Here are 3 practical ways you can improve the mental health of your stepfamily in 2024

1. Learn to regulate your own nervous system.

One of the kindest, most loving things you can do for yourself (and those around you) is to get to know your own nervous system, understand its unique stress responses, and learn how to manage it in a strategic way. The first step is becoming aware of your body and its patterns so that you can recognize when your nervous system is becoming dysregulated aka going into “fight or flight.”

Once you cultivate this awareness, you can choose to practice new habits that will keep you from switching into survival mode, so you can keep living your best life. There are many ways to regulate your nervous system, some of which include exposure to sunlight (especially first thing in the morning), staying hydrated with water, connecting with loved ones, spending time in nature, listening to relaxing music, and breathwork.

The cool thing about our nervous systems is that they have the ability to co-regulate the nervous systems of others, especially our children. So, when we are dysregulated, our children become dysregulated, and when we are regulated, our children become regulated.

When you learn to regulate and heal your own nervous system, you are literally helping to heal the nervous systems of your entire family!

2. Play more games.

And no, I am not talking about Fortnite. I am talking about real-life games that require family members to interact and make actual eye-contact! Research actually shows that playing games as a family promotes healthy development, makes your kids smarter in the classroom, and helps them learn how to problem-solve.

But, most importantly, it has been shown to positively affect communication within the family, relationships with peers, and emotional well-being! If nothing else, playing games as a family makes you HAVE FUN TOGETHER, which will naturally make your family bond closer.

Even if you lose the game, it’s still a win-win situation!

3. Spend time with God as a family.

No one can deny the positive impact spirituality has on mental health, not even scientists! In fact, studies have consistently shown that spirituality benefits both the mind and the body and deepens our relationships with others. Intentionally spending time with God can help with issues of low self-esteem, fear, anxiety, lack of self-control, and depression, just to name a few.

Spirituality helps us to find meaning in our struggles, as we seek to connect with something bigger than us. Families who spend time with God together are more connected with themselves and each other, find purpose in life, as well as comfort in times of suffering, and have an eternal hope that allows them to experience peace, even when tragedies happen, such as the  loss of a family member. It is also just so special to get to witness God speak to and through your children!

One last thing…

If you happen to be on a treadmill at the gym right now reading this blog post, I would just like to say…burn some calories for me. And don’t forget to stay hydrated! 

Cheers to a new year, and better mental health for our blended families!

Guest Contributor, Rachel Dunne is an Associate Licensed Counselor, a Stepfamily Foundation Certified Coach in Alabama and founder of www.spiritualstepmom.com. You can find her on Instagram, sharing her blended family life and life hacks @spiritualstepmom.

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